Microsoft secretly paid YouTubers for Xbox One coverage

YouTube video makers have been offered extra money by Microsoft in order not to be negative about the Xbox One and its games.

The ‘promotion’ was offered to Machinima video partners up until January 16, and was good for any video that included a minimum of 30 seconds of footage, mentioned the Xbox One name, and was tagged ‘XB1M13′.

A copy of the full legal agreement was leaked to website Ars Technica, which revealed that to qualify YouTubers were not able to say ‘anything negative or disparaging about Machinima, Xbox One, or any of its games’.

They could be neutral and still qualify, but the other stipulation was that they weren’t allowed to tell anyone about the deal.

If all that was in order they got an extra $3 per thousand views, up to the first 1.25 million video views. Assuming you got the maximum number of views that’s around £2,283 per YouTube video.

Although Microsoft hasn’t yet commented on the story there seems to be considerable evidence for its authenticity, with the image above leaked to forum NeoGAF and the tweet below having been quickly deleted by Machinma UK’s community manager.

One of the key questions now is whether the situation is legal under UK law, with American websites suggesting that it is certainly against FTC guidelines.

Rules 2.3 (Marketing communications must not falsely claim or imply that the marketer is acting as a consumer) and 2.4 (Marketers and publishers must make clear that advertorials are marketing communications) seem particularly relevant.